Denmark

Records reveal 2009 was a poor year for wind

DENMARK: Wind-produced electricity made up just 19.2% of Denmark's total electricity consumption in 2009, a year in which the wind contained only 87.9% of the energy delivered in a statistically normal year, as defined by the Danish wind index.

Had the wind blown as normal last year, 22.1% of the electricity consumed in Denmark during 2009 would have come from wind energy.

In the past six years, only 2006, with an average wind energy content of 85.2%, was a poorer year for winds than 2009. The best year was 2007, with a wind energy content of 106.5%.

At the end of the 2009, 5082 wind turbines were operating in Denmark with a combined generating capacity of 3.15GW. Of that, 608MW is located offshore, with 184MW of offshore capacity added in 2009.

The 6708GWh of wind power produced in 2009 saved enough coal to prevent the emission of 503,985 tonnes of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of 52.6% of Denmark's annual commitment to reduction of C02 emissions.

On land, 65MW of new capacity was added in 2009, as replacement of old turbines with new models continues - an exercise which reduced the total number of operating wind turbines in the country by 22.

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